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Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, had just been asked whether coronavirus had affected plans to push the changes through and was in the middle of answering when the BBC cut away to a UK weather report.

Some viewers took to Twitter to share their dismay, with one person calling the decision, "absolutely disgusting".

Alistair Robertson said: "Absolutely disgusting. Finally some sensible questions at the briefing, and the BBC cut off the final answer regarding Yorkshire's devolution deal."

"This government was elected on a platform of levelling up and uniting the whole country

"We have no intention of stalling those plans and in fact, unfortunately some of those places that we were already focused on, already wrking on, are exactly the sorts of communities that are likely to be most hit by the economic disruption that's going to come out of coronavirus.

"So it is extremely important that we return with gusto to that agenda and that's absolutely what we intend to do.

"We will continue to devolve power to local communities in Yorkshire.

"As you know, at the budget, we signed a fantastic new devolution deal for Leeds and its surrounding economy.

"And we want to do more, for North Yorkshire, for the Humber and for other parts of the north of England

"We'll return to our work on towns ensuring they get the funding they need for technology, education and skills and infastructure.

"And that work will be more important than ever as we begin to rebuild and recover the economy and move forward with the life of the country."